These traditional cookies should be stored in an airtight container once cooled completely and can also be frozen for 3 months. They turned out great even without vanilla essence and orange/lemon peel.
Ingredients
- 250g gf self raising flour (dove’s farm) (or 250g plain flour and 1tsp baking powder)
- 90g castor sugar
- 2 eggs
- 62.5g margarine
- ¼ tsp ground cloves or mixed spice
- 1 tsp whole aniseed / caraway seed (ħlewwa)
- 1tsp ground aniseed / caraway seed
- ¼ tsp Vanilla (optional)
- 1tsp Orange and/or lemon peel (optional)
- ICING: icing sugar, coloring, lemon juice
Method
- Place the butter in a large mixing bowl and add the caster sugar. Use an electric hand whisk to beat them for around 6-7 minutes at full speed until it triples in volume and turns white and fluffy.
- Add the eggs.
- Sift the flour twice into another bowl and add the baking powder (if using), salt, aniseed, cloves and mix well.
- Combine the dry ingredients into the liquid mixture by whisking the mixture. As soon as it starts coming together use your hands to form a dough. If mixture is too runny knead in some more flour with a wooden spoon or your hands.
- Dust your hands with flour and roll the dough into balls and place on the baking tray.
- Press down slightly with your finger to form into oval shapes.
- Bake for 20 minutes until the cookies are cooked but still pale in colour.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely before removing them from the baking tray.